Hey everyone! I'm new here.

 ( introduction: )
Since I just got off on break, I've been doing some internet surfing, and I stumbled across places like rpg.net and the forge, and then, this place. Let me say how relieved I was to find this place. (Because ENworld is well, very purist in terms of discussing RPGs).

In my spare time I've been working with my old roommates back home on an RPG called R&R (Redemption & Retribution). It functions as basically a rules-lite D&D setting with some other changes here and there. It's really alot of fun to play, and is a big relief from big rules D&D.

I have been living in Japan for almost 5 months now as an exchange student.
 (This smilie was created for me!!)  :keke:
Japan is an incredible country. Unfortunatly there are many stigmas for foreigners (even those who speak fluent Japanese, though I'm only conversational). As you well know, RPGs aren't extremely popular, and I've yet to run across one single hobby store yet in Japan. They're fixated on other things, really.
 ( :introduction )

As for adventures, I have my fair share out here in Japan. I've climbed a few mountains, met the girl of my dreams, explored the urban cityscape (getting lost for days at a time), and shared lots of stories with the locals (would you like to know what the curse of Colonel Sanders is?). I even got to beat the shit out of some yakuza once. I'm down in the Kansai area, so I haven't had the chance to climb Mt. Fuji *yet*, but I will.

In fact, many of the adventures I've had (both here and back home) inspired some pretty great sessions or ideas for the future in a campaign. Have any of you experienced something like this?

I know 4th edition Shadowrun was to be translated to Japanese (not sure if they've finished yet or not). When I saw that I wondered what kind of distribution channels they have in Japan for that sort of thing. You haven't found a 'hobby' store, but have you seen any RPG or RPG like games in shops?  Where do they sell CCGs like Pokemon?

Quote from: blakkieI know 4th edition Shadowrun was to be translated to Japanese (not sure if they've finished yet or not). When I saw that I wondered what kind of distribution channels they have in Japan for that sort of thing. You haven't found a 'hobby' store, but have you seen any RPG or RPG like games in shops?  Where do they sell CCGs like Pokemon?

Well, the convience store industy here in Japan is huge. I mean, hell, I can pay all my bills at the convience store, which is about a 2 minute walk from my dorm. So you can buy all sorts of stuff in there. I've seen everything from Pokemon cards to Yu-Gi-Oh.

Another thing that's really big here is the video game / manga / rental / movie places. And they stock tons of pokemon cards and yu-gi-oh type shit too.

It really is great. I mean, if you're the average Japanese family, you can go to the convience store, pay your bills, buy some food, buy some Yu-Gi-Oh cards, and sneak some porno under it all to top it all off.

Don't get me wrong. There *must* be a real hobby store around here somewhere, it's just not bound to have any non-showered pimpel faced nerds hanging out in it, that's all.

"Paging Timothy Willard - will a Mr. Tim Willard please pick up the blue courtesy phone"

As for myself, I don't really have adventures.  There's stuff that happens, but it doesn't really inform my gaming.  I must be the only person I know that doesn't have and "weird shit" stories

On the other hand, seeing my parents development work in Africa was one of the things what went into Havens and I occasionally find myself looking at a building and asking the question "how would I defend that against zombie attack?" so :idunno:

My life, while intensely interesting to me, is not really suitable material for adventuring. On the other hand, it pretty clearly relates to my interests and thus what kind of story's I'm interested in playing. For example, I'm currently saving up money to pay for law school to become an admiralty lawyer specialising in piracy and human rights. My current D&D game involves a fictional world with parallels to our own, and specifically, it's a pirate-oriented game that involves conquering the newly discovered continent.

Sometimes my conversations do.

Quote from: KashellDon't get me wrong. There *must* be a real hobby store around here somewhere, it's just not bound to have any non-showered pimpel faced nerds hanging out in it, that's all.

Well, actually the only place where I ever ran into a Japanese person with body odor was in an anime shop in Akihabara, but I digress.

First, you want to join the JIGG mailing list on Yahoo Groups (JIGG@yahoogroups.com).  JIGG stands for something like Japan International Gamer's Guild and that's where you'll find a lot of the gaijin gamers in Japan, though many of the members are in Tokyo.  It's also a good place to ask questions about gaming in Japan.  I haven't been in Tokyo since 1999 so some of my knowledge may be a little rusty.

Second, I can only help you with game stores in Tokyo but the ones you want to check out are Yellow Submarine (in Shinjuku and elsewhere) and the other place is Shosen Bookmart in Jimbocho.

Third, keep an eye out for .jp mail addresses and mention of living in Japan in online discussions.  I met three gamers in Japan that way (an exchange student in Tokyo, a Japanese gamer outside of Tokyo, and an English expat in Nagoya).

Quote from: blakkieI know 4th edition Shadowrun was to be translated to Japanese (not sure if they've finished yet or not). When I saw that I wondered what kind of distribution channels they have in Japan for that sort of thing. You haven't found a 'hobby' store, but have you seen any RPG or RPG like games in shops?  Where do they sell CCGs like Pokemon?

Another cool place to find bootleg translations of American games into Japanese (e.g., Hero 4th, perfect bound, with a manga/anime cover) is Comiket.  It's an amateur manga convention (like a huge -- like entire convention center huge -- dealer's room) happens twice a year and draws about 300,000 people but the winter one has already happened, or I would have suggested a visit there.  You can find everything from amateur manga "replays" of people's games to full-blown perfect bound homebrew GURPS settings and so forth if you hit it on the day when they have role-playing fan groups there (yeah, not only is it like a giant dealer's room but it's like a different dealer's room each day).  For example, a friend picked up a Call of Cthulhu supplement for 1920s Tokyo that dealt with the great earthquake in 1923.  Lotos of cool stuff and lots of really strange stuff, too, like the CHiPS and Intellivision fanzines I saw.

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RPGPundit

QuoteWell, actually the only place where I ever ran into a Japanese person with body odor was in an anime shop in Akihabara, but I digress.

Akihabara is very, very special. I plan to stay far away from it, if I'm ever near Tokyo.

Besides, Tokyo really isn't a good comparison for the rest of Japan, you know. It's like trying to say New York is good comparison for the rest of America.

Quote from: KashellAkihabara is very, very special. I plan to stay far away from it, if I'm ever near Tokyo.

That's a shame, because it's an interesting part of Tokyo.  Particularly the maze of little electronic parts vendors near the main station.  There is also a very good traditional soba shop just South of Akihabara (within walking distance) that you can find in tourist guides to Tokyo restaurants that's worth a visit, too.

Quote from: KashellBesides, Tokyo really isn't a good comparison for the rest of Japan, you know. It's like trying to say New York is good comparison for the rest of America.

While I agree (I also live in the NYC Metro area), I think you may be missing my point.  The issue was not that the person was in Tokyo or Akihabara but that they were in an anime shop.  I've also been to Comiket twice (on a "Circle Pass", fortunately, so I didn't have to come in with the mobs).  That's 300,000 manga fans that come from more than just Tokyo.  Let's just say that the same sorts of quirks that you see in American "geeks" can be found in Japanese "otaku", including the hygiene and creepiness issues around the fringes.

Quote from: John MorrowThat's a shame, because it's an interesting part of Tokyo.  Particularly the maze of little electronic parts vendors near the main station.  There is also a very good traditional soba shop just South of Akihabara (within walking distance) that you can find in tourist guides to Tokyo restaurants that's worth a visit, too.

Are you thinking of Kandu Yaku Soba (I may be misspelling that)?  It's fantastic, I was in Japan over Christmas and New Year and we ate there quite a lot.

Quote from: John MorrowLet's just say that the same sorts of quirks that you see in American "geeks" can be found in Japanese "otaku", including the hygiene and creepiness issues around the fringes.

Oh of course. There's an electronics district here in Kansai too (in Osaka) that is just like Akihabara, but it doesn't receive the same press. I've seen these people. (eewww).

I can't say that I've had a particularly adventurous life, but I do travel a lot and those experiences have served to inspire elements of my gaming.  

One recent example is in the planning stages for a trek to Mongolia I found out so much cool info about the place (particularly in the 1920s and 30s) that I ran a pulp game set there, and it was a smashing success.  It turns out that Mongolia really *is* that cool, btw, and I heartily recommend it as a destination for travelers who don't mind being off the beaten path a bit, with all the lack of conveniences that it entails.  In fact, on my return I was slightly obsessed with the idea of writing an RPG based on mythic Mongolia until I realized that I would, in fact, be the only person interested in playing it!

My travels in China, and the sense of isolation while surrounded by a mass of humanity, have also given me a lot of fodder for "strangers in a strange land" sorts of gaming situations.


TGA

Quote from: BalbinusAre you thinking of Kandu Yaku Soba (I may be misspelling that)?  It's fantastic, I was in Japan over Christmas and New Year and we ate there quite a lot.

I don't remember the name of it, just that it had a little garden/yard around it and the bathroom was in something like an outhouse out back.